Chapter 226

Almara’s Pov

Through the rest of the march through town, the familiar continued announcing our defeat. With each declaration, it becomes more and more apparent that I may never see my parents again. We may never see Roman or Eleanor, Robert or Cathy. I can only hope that I get to see Grace.

Unlike the first town paralyzed with fear and crawling with more familiars, some of the other areas we crossed through resulted in wolves taking out their phones and recording us. Instantly the message is sent across the world wide web.

Even though we tossed our phones, it’s like I can feel the buzzing in my pocket burning a hole in my pants. Hushed whispers get passed between wolves as we make our way past them. I catch glimpses of words and I can only make out a general sense of their comments and questions.

It would be the same things I would wonder. Is the war over? Did we lose? Who’s the new Alpha? What do we do now?

What I want to do is scream the answers back at them. The war is not over, attack these vile creatures! We don’t lose until we die, and as Arthur said- we don’t die. The Hurricane Pack is the Alpha Pack and we aren’t going anywhere except to get the rest of our family and take back what is ours.

Though I don’t say any of that, I repeat the answers in my head which forces me to carry myself a little straighter. If I can’t verbally speak to them the answers, maybe I can at least communicate it with my body.

“A person in power should look like they’re in power,” Elenor has once said to me and though I know she was referring to my plain appearance I’m taking it on with a whole new meaning.

The cuts on Arthur’s face have since dried and light purple bruising is developing under his cheekbone. It actually makes him look more tough. Perhaps others will see that we aren’t going down without a fight.

Eventually, our own territory falls to the background and we approach the now all too familiar land that belongs to the vampires. Dusk has settled into the sky, though if it’s one thing I’ve learned about the vampire land is that the night comes quickly.

We’ve entered through an alternate route. There’s no black gate, and there are still a few trees scattered about- even if they are barren and their twisted branches are exposed with crows hooking their claws into the twinging twigs where leaves normally sprout.

Instead of a black gate we walk across a dusty rock path that stretches for miles. I look at Arthur who has his eyes downcast and his face twisted into confusion. I try to line my eyes with his gaze and see what he’s looking at.

The rocks beneath our feet aren’t just regular stone cemented into the earth, they’re encoded with cryptic writing. It’s hard to make out what any of it says or to study the carvings in the rocks since we’re still on the move.

However, what I can gather is on each rock is an etching of lines that make some kind of geometric shape. It somehow reminds me of the familiar voice, unworldly.

I look back at Arthur and notice his expression changed. He no longer looks confused and instead looks pissed. What is it? I ask him telepathically and he glances my way though with a twinge of uncertainty. Can’t you hear me? I ask. He tilts his head ever so slightly.

It’s like my words are trying to get through, but can’t.

“He can’t hear you,” The familiar says in a low hiss. I freeze with fear. Can the familiar read my mind? I dare look back at the familiar who’s closer to my back than I thought.

“These stones are engraved with some of our favorite spells. You may not know what it says, but subconsciously it’s being absorbed.” The familiar laughs and my heart sinks, realizing what we’ve just done. “You didn’t think we’d let you keep your adorable fated-mate bond did we?”

My heart sinks to my stomach and I try my best to catch it. No. I tell myself, refusing any of this to be true, I can’t accept it. I refused to put myself in agreement with this.

We may have read the spells on the rocks, but there’s no way that can remove Arthur and my companionship. At least not legitimately. Maybe we can’t telepathically communicate, but we’re still fated-mates. We’re still a family and a pack.

Nothing the familiars do will take that away.

As we move further along the path, I keep my eyes ahead. We approach the more familiar area of the vampire land. It’s nearly dark and the land is crawling with both vampires and familiars. I don’t think I ever seen more foul creatures at such a large number before.

Everything in me wants to fight. We cross patchy grassland, and through the darkening sky and foggy atmosphere, castle-like buildings jut out like mountains in the distance. Their black exterior makes only the outline of their shape visible.

Are those new? I’ve never noticed them before, then again every time I’ve had the unfortunate need to come here it’s been for a sole mission and checking out the architecture was not one of them.

The closer to these towering castles we get the more these creatures get in our faces to hiss followed by mocking laughter. The crowd becomes suffocating the darker the night gets. The familiar guiding us is now separated by a throng of other grotesque beasts all taking a turn at tormenting us.

I start to think that this is it. That we die by suffocation of these unworldly creatures. Then, I get tunnel vision. I can no longer see who’s right in front of me, all I can see and smell is Grace.

“Grace!” I shout out. Beside me Arthur lashes out, using his arm to swipe four familiars to the side, knocking over six more behind them in the process.

I know I’m not mistaken. We both smell Grace. She’s here. Something primal takes over me and I howl like I never have before. A couple of vampires duck and cover their ears to protect their eardrums. Though just as quickly, many familiars are coming back to retaliate.

I look at Arthur and Zack who are already in a fighting position. One familiar comes out of the shadows of the night and lunges onto Arthur. Zack is quick to react and pulls the rodent-like creature off Arthur’s back, as he does so a sickening sucking sound is made.

The rest of the creatures come on quick. I’m able to doge one, then another, but I’m already winded and a third familiar sinks its teeth into my ankle and I stomp my heel on the serpent's head. Just then another beast with wings flaps around my head obscuring my vision and my side burns.

I start growling and flailing about, trying to hit anything nearby and hope it’s not Zack or Arthur that I’m making contact with, though somehow I doubt it as they’re likely fighting off their own swarm.

The smell of Grace doesn’t lessen and it’s what keeps my adrenaline going. I will fight until I die. I will not give up. I attempt to keep moving forward whilst fighting, letting my nose guide me.

Suddenly, it all stops.